Improvement in book-racks



A. R. SHERMAN.

Book-Rack.

Patented Feb. 19, 1878.

A Jgw .w NBLs'sEs: A INVBNTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N,FETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHEF, WASHINGTON. D C.

being broken away,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT R. SHERMAN, OF NATIGK, RHODE ISLAND.

IM PROVEM ENT IN BOOK-RAC KS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,576, dated February19, 1878; application filed January 18, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT R. SHERMAN, of Natick, in the county of Kentand State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement inBook-Racks for Church- Pews, of which the following is a specification:

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is a front view of my improved book-rack, partand partly in section, to show the construction 5 and Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same, taken through the line .r x, Fig. 1, partbeing broken away to show the construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved book-rack forchurch-pews, which shall be so constructed as to hold the books pressedshut, and at the same time allow the books to be readily put into andtaken out of the said rack.

The invention consists in the combination of the shelf, the brackets,the rod, the swinging arms, the springs, and the caps with each other 5in the combination of the convexed rubber plates with the shelf of thebook-rack; and in the convexed rubber plates attached to the back of apew, to operate, in connection with the rod and the swinging arms, forholding the books closed, as hereinafter fully described.

A is the shelf, the ends of which are attached to two brackets, B, whichare designed to be attached to the back C of a pew. D is a rod, whichforms the front rail ofthe bookrack, and to the ends of which areattached the lower ends of two arms, E.

To the upper ends of the arms E are attached springs F, made of thinsheet-steel, and which are attached to the pew-back C, to hold the armsE down, and at the same time allow them to be raised to put in and takeout the books.

The upper ends of the arms E and the springs F are covered by caps G,the cavities of which are made so large as to allow the said arms E tohave sufficient play. The lower ends of the arms E rest upon the forwardcorners of the upper ends of the brackets B, and have rubber knobs Hattached to them to strike against the said corners, and thus preventnoise. For the same reason the inner surface of the caps G, that thearms E strike against when raised, is covered with cloth or rubber I.

The shelf A has a cushion, formed of a convexed plate of rubber, J,attached to it, to adjust itself to and support the edges of the book.

To the back of the pew are attached cushions, formed by attaching convexrubber plates K to pasteboard L, or other substance that has suiicientstiffness to support them. The cushions J and K and the rod D arecovered with velvet, plush, or other suitable material M.

N are knobs, placed beneath the lower part of the arms E, to serve asscrews for securing the upholstery to the pew-back C, and also assupports to hang fans or other light articles upon. 0 are ornamentaldisks, the shanks of which pass through holes in the arms E, and havenuts screwed upon their ends.

The disks O may have the initials of the pew-owners name formed uponthem. The brackets B and the arms E may be made plain, or they may beornamented to any desired extent.

By this construction the rod D is pressed against the sides of the booksby the Weight of the arms E and by the force of the springs F, so as tohold the said books closed. The elastic cushions K press against theinner side of the books, so that thinner and thicker books may be heldclosed by the same rod D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the shelf A, the brackets B, the rod C, theswinging arms E, the springs F, and the caps G with each other,substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the convexed rubber plate J with the shelf A ofthe book-rack,'

substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The convexed rubber plates K, attached to the back of a pew, tooperate, in connection with the rod D and swinging arms E, for holdingthe books closed, substantially as herein shown and described.

ALBERT K. SHERMAN.

. vWitnesses:

JAiviEs T. GRAHAM, C. SEDewIcK. y

